Papelbon Doesn’t Want to Stay if Phils Continue Down Path

Jonathan Papelbon isn’t one to mince words. Once again, he spoke loudly following the disastrous loss on Sunday in Detroit. Papelbon told MLB.com he doesn’t want to be here if the team isn’t a winner.

Asked after the game if he wants to be traded, Papelbon said, “No, I would like to stay here. But if I’m going to have to put up with this year after year, then no, I don’t want to be here. Why would you? Why would anybody?”

Good question. However, Jimmy Rollins has already stated his case and intends to stay in Philadelphia. The same doesn’t seem to hold true for Papelbon, who sounds like a man who wants nothing to do with a rebuild.

Pretty much everyone in Philadelphia seems on board with trading this guy, anyway. He hasn’t connected with the fan base and he’s clearly being paid too much for the role he’s currently in. He’d be better suited elsewhere. But where could he go? Detroit and Boston seem to have solidified their 9th inning roles. Add that to the fact that Papelbon’s velocity has decreased fairly dramatically. That doesn’t bode well for anyone involved.

If there’s no match for Papelbon before Wednesday’s deadline, what makes you think a team will claim him on waivers and risk the Phils giving him away for nothing and leaving the claiming team to pay 100% of his remaining salary? It seems to me that it’s the opposite and that the only way that he’ll get dealt is if it happens before the deadline and if the Phils pay a big portion of the remaining $30M owed to him through 2015.

The problem is that the rest of the league sees what we see – a pitcher with declining velocity who is signed to a ridiculous contract. Allocating that much money to a closer was insane. Without the Phillies picking up 75% of that deal, he’s not a player who can be moved.

If only Ruben could find a team that wants an overpaid closer for the next 3 1/3 seasons, everybody could be happy. Alas, the Phils are probably stuck with him unless they’ll eat a big chunk of the money they owe him. What a horrific signing that was and it was compounded by the fact that Ruben rushed to sign him and lost last year’s 1st round pick.

Fine, Jimmy you can stay. You’re going to bat 8th and rotate playing time with Galvis.

Papplebon has realistically 2 years left on his deal unless he’s doing really well at which point he’d be worth the money to someone. Phils shouldn’t have to eat more than $4 or $5 million. Move just about everything.

Papelbon, despite his velocity drop, still seems to be getting people out. He’d be valuable to some team at some time. Maybe not this season, however.

He should be traded for sure if the team goes into full rebuild mode. There’s no sense in having an expensive closer on a non-performing team, and even eating some pay is less costly than having Papelbon around to pitch the 9th in games like today’s farce.

Well, he’s not being paid $15 million a year to be a run of the mill closer. He blew four saves in a week’s time this season. His days of being an elite closer are in the past. His job can be easily handled by someone making a lot less than what he’s making. You may think a 33 year old pitcher with declining velocity and K rate (12.2 in 2011, 11.8 in 2012, 7.9 this season) is a valuable commodity, but other GMs won’t. It’s just a terrible contract, and almost everyone knew it from the day it was announced.

Yes, $15 M per year is too much. But I didn’t say that another team would be paying all of his salary. If the Phils pay part of that, some team will trade for him, declining velocity or not. It may not be before July 31st, but when some of the cheaper options start coughing up runs or require surgery or otherwise wind up on the DL, someone will want a guy, no matter how old, who still manages to save games, particularly if part of his pay is picked up by his former team. Those five blown saves weren’t good, but before then, and since then he’s been fine, and even some of those bad appearances weren’t helped at all by the Phil’s miserable defense.

Also, please define what you consider to be “run-of-the-mill.” Calling a man that has no meaning unless you state your methods for determining just who you consider to be good or bad. Your criteria might differ a lot from what a GM might use.

How about this proposal? Send Paps to Dodgers and take Brandon League back. Paps is owed $26 mil for 14-15 and League is owed $15 mil. With the savings, maybe we can add an additional veteran reliever or 2. There are lots of guys available, like Grant Balfour, Kevin Gregg, Edward Mujica, etc who may be relatively inexpensive on a 2 year deal. Then you have Adams (hopefully), League and 1 or 2 more veterans to build your bullpen. Because Paps has been much better than League this year, maybe you can a get a decent prospect from LA (not gonna get Joc Pederson)

We have the results of a Management that made huge financial contracts with no way to get out of them when things go wrong. No one wants Howard and that contract, who needs a Jimmy Pop Up who can’t bat until he bats first and is probably the worst lead off hitter on record. Why should someone be needed to motivate adults, being paid huge salaries?

FANS: let’s boycott all things Phillie until we get some positive action on the part of management. It seems one way out is to buy up contracts and consider it a bad investment, fans have made this $50,000.00 investment of Bill Giles a huge success. The slobs who paid the $60 million for the Team have apparently no say in what is happening and really why bother they’re making out fine on the return side.

I think there is still a deal out there to get some prospects for Papelbon and I think outbursts like this actually help in getting the deal done. Our best chance of getting someone descent for him is to convince a team that his struggles are due to frustration and not diminishing physical skills and this could feed that.

Agreed! Papelbon has 20 saves and he is on his way for another 30 plus saves this season (his 8th in a row). No way I would put any blame on him for team’s dismal performance. His contract is covered without problem and a reliable closer is hard to come by. Another words, he is irreplaceable especially when one looks at the pathetic bullpen the Phillies have.

I know you have some young people here ranting to “blow up” the team and I understand their frustration and impatience with team’s current losing streak and freefall in the standings. However, it’s more realistic and logical to choose carefully what position(s) are in need of better players.for present and future and not just go “salary dumping”.The latter choice would send the wrong message to the team.. to surrender hopes of a better season next year and possibly more. That would be demoralizing to both veterans and the young players (Brown, Ruf, Pettebone, etc,) And of course, Papelbon makes that perfectly clear.(smile)

The salary dump worked a few years ago when we dumped Abreu on the Yanks. Also Papelbon is not a majestic white horse. Look at St Louis, Pittsburgh, Oakland, Detroit, Atlanta, Texas. Nobody spent that much on a closer.

Papsmear needs to go and quick. I think a team will take him – he’s still getting guys out but he’s unhappy here. And an unhappy Papelbon makes for a bad clubhouse. You might have to pay a little salary to get rid of him but please do it.

Kind of wish this moron would go away. And with jimmy saying he won’t accept a trade bc he wants some phillies records. What’s with that. Def should call Detroit and St Louis about jimmy and Papelbon. Would look to move Kendrick to Arizona or Oakland. Lee to Boston or Cleveland. M. Young to Red Sox. Ruiz to yanks. Delmon young back to wherever we found him. Resign Utley to a two year deal. See if Asche can play 3rd. major pieces to come back should be 1-2 front end young starters, 1-2 power bat, bullpen arms, make Franco a rf

Jimmy Rollins wanting to stay…because of “records” or not…is the LEAST of the Phillies roster issues. Just because he made that comment doesn’t mean he’s selfish or not a team player or anything of the sort. Do you think the guy likes losing? Do you think he doesn’t want to be on a winner?

And why SHOULDN’T he want to break some records if he can do it?? The days of one guy staying with the same team for his entire career are pretty much over. The fact that Rollins wants to be a life-long Phillie is just fine in my book.

I agree wholeheartedly. Rollins is not the problem and never has been the problem. I don’t care if he’s “dogged it to first,” sometimes, as Dipsy says. Anyone who is as close as Rollins is to so many team records has obviously been way more helpful than he’s ever been a problem. His alleged “poor attitude” or “selfishness” certainly didn’t seem to be a problem in his MVP year, and it wasn’t a problem when he fired up the Phils by proclaiming to the world that they were the team to beat.

Not only that, but he’s currently the most consistent defensive player on the team, in a very important defensive position.

In my mind, anyone who’s been the player Rollins has been for the years he’s been around has every right to play out his contract the way he hopes to.

Chuck A. – He’s already leads the Phillies for lifetime DTFB% (Dogginit To First Base) and thats a record that will probably never be broken by a non pitcher. My question: IF the team gets broken down and built back up, do you let RAJ do it?

Dipsy – Who else will they LET do it?? I think RAJ is a favorite of ownership, particularly David Montgomery, and I don’t think he’s going anywhere. Now….if I was the owner would I let him do it?? .. Good question. A few years back I probably would have said yes. But now i’m not so sure. Too many things have gone on, too many bad decisions made that I think it might be time for a fresh start.

I love that Rollins wants to stay! I also get frustrated with the abundance of pop ups, but I truly believe the man loves playing in this city for our fans. I don’t hate his contract and he was easily the best shortstop available last year. You want to stay? Then lets embrace that attitude.

PapSmear on the other hand, I really get disgusted with. He reminds me of that one guy that we all work with…snarky, little douche who runs around thinking he is better than everyone else and tells you what you stink at. I am sure his arrogance has helped him become an extremely effective closer, but if he wants out…find a way to get him out. I am sure his teammates would throw a party once he is gone. Problem is…who closes games for us? I know this is a lost year, but what about next? Not sure who would be available.

Thats great that u love Rollins so much. His game doesnt work. Dom Brown didnt look to Jimmy for help on hitting. He went to Utley. If u want our young guys to look up to a guy its Chase. Revere is a better leadoff hitter. Jimmy as he gets older is going to get worse and worse because he wont adjust his style. We have to move on.

My point Chauncy is that Rollins for all the great that he has done for the Phils its time for him to move on. I dont see him trying to help develop the young guys or even leading by example. if he is such a leader he would. He is more ARod then a Jeter. Jimbo doesnt have that power to hit 3rd-5th. I dont see him trying to steal bases.

My point Charles is that Jimmy is not going to get better. He has never tried to adjust his style of play to what his skills are now. Lets move on get some pieces that we can develop. I’m ok with Galvis playing SS and batting 9th.

1) Doesn’t get on base (I don’t care if my leadoff guy bats .300 with non existent power if his OBP is .310 or whatever);
2) Has absolutely no extra base power; and
3) is a poor fielder despite his speed. He takes bad routes to balls and can’t go back very well and his arm may be the worst I have ever seen. Think a notch above Jeff Stone and two notches below Shane Victorino.

The only reason I like is that he is an amiable sort and because he is so cheap. He should be moved to LF STAT! Your comments?

Psychotron (Papelbum) was/is an effective reliever, despite his loss of velocity and blown saves…HOWEVER, his dual-schizo personality sucks and is quite cantankerous and cancerous in the clubhouse. He doesn’t own up to his errors and throws his teammates under the bus. I understand his frustration, but that shouldn’t be voiced to the over eager media who will blow it out of proportion. Plus, it’s the last thing the team needs right now. Go away, Cinco Psycho.

Here is what I hope will happen If a reasonable deal cannot be concluded for Papelbon alone. They go to a team that has expressed interest, or is going hard after someone else, (Young, Utley, whoever) and tell them no deal unless they take Paps and at least 50% of his salary as well. Maybe one of them will bite, maybe the Dodgers who don’t seem to be afraid to spend.